Device for extinguishing cigarettes



Nov. 23, 1954- J, TODD 2,695,027

DEVICE FOR EXTINGUISHING CIGARETTES Filed May 18. 1953 INVENTOR.

JOHN H. TODD ATTORNEY United States 2,695,027 DEVICE FOR EXTINGUISHING CIGARETTES John H. Todd, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 9 Application May 18, 1953, Serial No. 355,455 7 Claims. (Cl. 131-256) The invention relates to devices for extinguishing burning tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars.

The invention is illustrated herein as embodied in a cigarette extinguisher.

The objects of the invention are to provide an article of the stated character which will:

Function automatically completely to extinguish a burning cigarette;

Quickly and automatically reset itself into an original position suitable for receiving another burning cigarette;

Lend itself to convenient mounting on various supports, either with or without facilities serving as ashtrays;

Obviate discoloring or burning damage to supports and household equipment upon or above which it may be mounted; and

Lend itself to quantity production at a cost which permits retail distribution at a low price.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail means embodying the invention, and means for mounting the same, illustrating only a few of the various forms in which the principle of the invention may be embodied and only a few of the structures by which the invention may be mounted.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the invention provided with angular end extensions by means of which it may be supported on and within an ash tray which is also shown, the tray having upstanding mounting blocks upon which the invention is slideably supported by its end extensions;

Figure 4 is a section taken in the plane indicated by the line 4-4, Figure 3' Figure 5 is a fragmentary section, similar to Figure 4, the invention, however, being shown in the position which it assumes under the effect of the heat of a burning cigarette;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of another type of support for the invention;

igure 7 is a section taken in the plane indicated by the line 77, Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the invention mounted by a still further type of support; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the annexed drawing in which the same characters designate the same parts in the several views, a bimetallic spring strip having superimposed plies 1 and 2 secured together is bent into a three-sided formation having the opposed end side wings 3, Figures 1, 2, and 9. The intermediate side 4 consists of a plurality of undulated parts 5 disposed between the wings 3 at one end of the latter, which parts 5 are U-shaped formations alternating in relatively reversed relation as shown in Figures 1 and 9.

The space between the wings 3 is slightly greater than the diameter of the cigarette 6, Figure 3, and the U- shaped formations 5 extend inwardly between the wings 3 only a part (approximately one-half) of the length of the wings 3, Figure 9, so that the cigarette 6 can be passed between the wings 3 and rest upon the upper edges of the U-shaped formations 5 which thus serve as a base or support.

The two plies 1 and 2, Figure 9, of the bimetallic spring strip are so arranged that an outer greater heatresponsive ply thereof 1 tends to curl around the inner lesser heat-responsive ply 2 and thus warp the whole strip so that the wings 3 move toward each other under the influence of heat. Thus, the heat of a burning cigarette mounted on the support 4, Figure 4, is adapted to move the wings 3 toward each other to squeeze the tobacco of the cigarette, shut off the air, and extinguish the cigarette.

The heat applied by the burning cigarette simultaneously warps the Ushaped formations 5 into the shape shown in Figure 5. One of the consequences of the use of a multiple of U-formations 5 intermediate the extended cigarette-receiving wings 3 is the compounding of the inward movement of the wings 3 with the result that the cigarette 5 will be completely extinguished even from so slight a heat source as is furnished by a burning cigarette.

Thus, by the instant invention the compressing wing movement induced by heat is compounded and the pressure consequent thereto is concentrated on the burning tip of the cigarette.

Upon quenching with water the wings 3 immediately reassume the position shown in Figure 1, or by natural cooling they gradually and quickly reassume this posi tion.

The bimetallic spring strip 12 is thin material, of the order of .011" thickness, so that the slight heat of the cigarette applied thereto is not dissipated before a thermostatic action is elfected necessary to warp the strip suificiently to extinguish the cigarette. However, I do not limit the invention to the use of strip material of the order of .011" thickness inasmuch as somewhat thicker as well as thinner material can be utilized but I have discovered thus far in my experiments that about .011" thickness produces the optimum results for extinguishing cigarettes.

In Figures 3, 4, and 5,

an ash tray 7 is formed with opposed upstanding posts 8 spaced to form a recess 18 therebetween substantially centrally of the tray 7. The extinguisher is mounted on the posts 8 by means of angular extensions 9 of the wings 3 which rest on the floor of recesses 10 formed in and adjacent the tops of the posts 8. The extensions 9 are loosely supported in the recesses 10 and are preferably inclined, as shown in Figure 4, to minimize heat loss and the drag of the extensions 9 upon the floor of the recesses 10 as the wings 3 are moved inwardly toward each other by the heat of the burning cigarette end. The mouth end of the cigarette may be rested upon the rim of the tray 7.

In Figures 6 and 7, a tray or other suitable support 11 is utilized which has a wide rim or peripheral edge 12. Upon the rim 12 is mounted a trough-like accessory 13 which has substantially vertical side wings 14 of outwardly tapering formation and an intermediate shelf or bottom 15 upon which a cigarette can be rested with its burning end between the wings 3 of an extinguisher mounted between the inner ends of the wings 14 and depending into the support 11. The extinguisher is held by a spring wire 16 soldered at its outer end to the shelf 15, as indicated by 17. This wire 16 passes inwardly under the upper portion of the reversely-arranged U- shaped undulations 5 and has a hooked inner end 19 which engages the top surface of one of the upright U-undulations 5 whereby the extinguisher is supported as shown in Figure 7.

In Figure 8, the extinguisher may be supported by its base formed of the undulations 5 upon any suitable support 20 and is retained in position by an inverted U- shaped member 21 whose web engages the top surface of the bottom of one of the upright undulations 5 and whose legs depend in recesses 22 formed in the support 20.

The three extinguisher mountings shown are only illustrations of the many designs of mounting structures which may be utilized as accessories in the practical use of the extinguisher.

One of the nuisances arising from burning tobacco is the deposition on the tray, table or other support of condensates and tarry substances which discolor and are often difiicult, and sometimes impossible, of removal 3 without a permanent marringof or injury to the support. The invention herein shown and described, in addition to eliminating the danger and loss occasioned by falling burning cigarettes, also obviates the discoloration problem inasmuch as only the burnt ash, if any, of the extinguished cigarette, may fall on the tray, table or other support, and any condensate and tarry substance will stick to the extinguished cigarette or the spring strip 12.

Many smokers prefer to lay a cigarette aside after a puff or two for later use. The instant invention permits this to be done without danger of fire or other damage and without consumption of a material portion of the cigarette while not smoking it. It is necessary only to lay the unconsumed but burning cigarette between the wings 3 where it will be promptly and safely extinguished without damage to furnishings and without mutilation of the unconsumed portion of the cigarette, after which the wings 3 will quickly cool and spread apart and thus permit ready removal of the cigarette remainder for relighting.

What I claim is:

1. A device for extinguishing lighted cigarettes comprising a spring strip of bimetallic material having spaced end wings joined by a series of undulating parts, said undulating parts being disposed in the space between the wings, said wings being of greater length-than the undulating parts and having portions thereof in unobstructed facing relationship, the distance between said wing portions being approximately equal to the diameter of a cigarette to be supported upon the undulating parts and intermediate said wing portions.

2. A device for extinguishing lighted cigarettes set out in claim 1, in which the end wings are substantially parallel.

3. A device for extinguishing lighted cigarettes set out inclaim 1, in-which the length-of said unobstructed wing portions is substantially equal to the length of the undulating parts.

4. A device for extinguishing lighted cigarettes set out in claim 1, in which the strip is of a material of substantially the order of 0.011" thickness.

5. A device for extinguishing lighted cigarettes set out in claim 1, said device having means for operatively supporting the same.

6. A device for extinguishing lighted cigarettes set out in claim 5, said supporting means comprising angularlyextended terminal extensions of said wing portions.

7. A device for extinguishing lighted cigarettes set out in claim 5, said supporting means comprising laterally-extended termini of said wing portions, each terminus making an acute angle with its wing portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,005,606 Wall June 18, 1935 2,203,745 Rodene June 11, 1940 2,322,604 Van Nostrad June 22, 1943 2,644,466 Jennings July 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,614 Great Britain 1898 420,178 Great'Britain Nov. 27,1934 733,786 France Oct. 11, 1932 

